Page 35 of Thin Ice

“Get his weapon and tie him up.” Abby removed some zip ties from her backpack and tossed them to Chris. “Hurry before the people he called show up.”

“You’re too late,” Zeke yelled as Oliver grabbed hold of him and Chris secured his hands and legs. “They’ll be here soon. Did you really think I’d turn on my president?” Zeke directed his anger to Victor. “You and the rest of your band of traitors will be dead soon. It’s a new world with a new direction. The old ways are gone. . . Ouch,” he groaned when Chris secured his wrists tight and Oliver gagged him.

Abby looked back at the damaged chopper. Zeke had said the SUV was damaged. Was it a lie? “Nick, you and Joe come back with me. I want to see for myself if the SUV is damaged. He’s right about one thing. It won’t be long before the people he called arrive and we’ll make better ground on wheels.”

Brookes grabbed her arm. “They’ll have a tracker on the vehicle.” He warned.

Abby couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it. “You’re right. Grab some flashlights. We need to find the tracker before we go anywhere.”

Victor and Nick brought out flashlights and trekked to the chopper. Abby went with them. It didn’t take long to locate the object placed on the rear of the vehicle.

Abby destroyed it. “Let’s get everyone loaded quickly.”

Nick drove the vehicle outside. Abby helped Brookes into the seat while everyone else piled into the cramped space.

Abby pulled up Google Maps to find the best way to get them out of the area. “There’s a small road north of here. Keep going straight and it should take you there.” She sat back in her seat and reached for Brookes’s hand. “There’s a good chance Legion will have a way of hacking into the SUV’s GPS to locate where we’re going. It needs to be destroyed.” She shook her head. “Joe, can you dismantle the GPS on this thing?”

Beside them, Kinsley laughed, winced, and held her midsection. “He can do whatever you need him to do. Joe’s a savant when it comes to vehicles. He’s a real gearhead.”

Abby actually laughed. “You’re kidding?”

“No. I think it’s the reason he’s not married. No woman can compete with that mind of his.”

Joe tossed her a look and went to work.

Victor turned to them. “Once we have breathing room, we need to regroup. I want to find a way to make an announcement to the American people. They need to know what’s going on.”

Nick smiled at his friend. “That’s a good idea, Mr. President. I’m proof there are many hardworking people out there who don’t buy into Legion’s lies. Regan wasn’t one of them, but I’m willing to believe there are plenty more in all branches of the military. It’s time to stop running and start fighting back.”

Brookes breathed out. “The first thing is to get those nukes out of Legion’s hands. If they get desperate enough, who knows what they’ll do.”

“Agreed. That and cutting off the head of the beast.”

Abby watched the passing scenery and prayed they would have that opportunity. The most important thing was to get Victor out of harm’s way so that he could reach out to the American people Let them know what was really happening.

“GPS is dismantled. Unless they have another way of getting into this vehicle’s computer system, we should be safe.”

“Thanks, Joe.” Abby turned to Brookes. “How are you? I’m sorry we had to leave the chopper.”

Brookes stared into her eyes. “I’m okay. A little winded, but otherwise hanging in there.” He attempted a smile, yet she could see the exhaustion that clung to him. He’d almost died. Was still far from out of the woods.

“Hopefully, we can have time to rest.” She glanced behind them. “I’m worried about being followed.”

He ran his hand across her cheek. “We’re safe for now. James has people on the way to extract us. We’re as safe as we can be for now.”

She closed her eyes and covered his hand with hers. “I know. It’s just with everything we’ve gone through, I can’t let myself have hope.”

He leaned over and kissed her gently. “Believe it. God has us in the palm of His hand, Abby. And He’s not going to let the forces of darkness win.”

???

Please God, protect us so that we can do Your will. Brookes prayed with all his heart. His dream of that little spread near the mountains was fresh on his mind. Would there be a time when he and Abby—the rest of Strike Force—could live in peace? Right now, he couldn’t see any way through the peril ahead, and it shredded his heart.

“There’s the road,” Nick said, and Brookes turned from Abby to the view in front of them. “Which way from here?”

Abby checked the direction once more on her phone. “Left.”

Nick veered onto the road and picked up the speed.

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